talking about computers and design
by Ralph Grabowski

Mar 16, 2011

How to see the same CAD drawing twice, on two monitors

A.L. writes:

I’m using AutoCAD 2011, and I have a large monitor for my drafting use. Is there a way to have a smaller monitor to show the same file to see the overall view (e.g. – floor plan). Then I could zoom into the view on the large monitor to do my detailed drafting.

I think this should work: start a second session of AutoCAD (you can have more than one copy of AutoCAD running at a time), and then open the drawing file. (This file will open as read-only, but that is fine for your purposes.) Drag the second AutoCAD over to the other monitor.

The other solution is to use the DSViewer command, which opens a bird's-eye-view window. You can make the window as large as your second monitor.

PS: Here is the part I am wondering about. Mr L. works for big consulting engineering company working in the energy field. I am wondering why the CAD manager (or even the IT guy) couldn't provide the answer.

In any case, Mr L. wrote back that my answer provided him with the solution for which he was searching.

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Or buy Microstation to work on your dwg files. It's has the ability to have 8 views of the same file open at the same time and also built in settings for working with dual monitors. This is a feature that has been with Bentley for as long as I can remember, and really miss it when I have to go back to Autocad.

Concerning your comment about the CADD Manager being able to support the user, what I'm seeing more and more in large outfits is that the CADD is becoming an IT guy that really doesn't know much about CADD except how to install the software (and maybe setup the license server).

Don't forget guys AutoCAD allows you to create and use viewports to do this similar thing on a single screen.
Using the viewport 'four left' or 'four right' option and 'joining' some of the smaller viewports you will have a quite a usefull tool (in Model Space).
I use these options quite frequently.
Don't do it myself as a matter of course but if you were to use viewports in a layout it would be possible to size you viewports to suit which would even mean your small view could be inside the larger view (so movable).
None of these options I would expect and IT guy to know ;-)

If you're looking to max out the screen real-estate in the AutoCAD window you're using for viewing purposes, I posted a CUI macro to max out the full screen view for AutoCAD at http://www.cadbloke.com/autocad-full-screen-shortcut/

With Microstation you aren't dragging on large windows across two monitors. There is a setting for dual monitors that opens up 2 windows, each that can be maximized for each monitore. Then within those 2 windows you have option of turning on 8 different editable views of the same file. The nice thing about this is you can pan is 1 view and see your panning in an overall larger view. You also have the ability to do a zoom box from 1 view and draw the box in the another overall larger view.

So how is does Autocad do the same thing? In my experience Autocad only has the ability to have multiple files open at the same time not multiple views of the same model. Is there some secret setting?

In Microstation you have the ability to set the program to dual monitors which will allow open up 2 windows that can be maximized on each monitor. So how can Autocad do this?

Microstation also allows you to do a zoom window for 1 view but draw the window in an another overall view. It also allows you to do the same thing with pan. Pan a smaller close up view in an overall larger view. I don't think Autocad can do this either.

AutoCAD has the DsViewer command, which opens a second window containing the drawing. It always shows the entire drawing (to its extents), and can be used to zoom and pan the working version of the drawing (over in the main AutoCAD window).